Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will sign for Manchester United, subject to a medical. Mkhitaryan, 27, had one year left on his Dortmund contract, but United sealed the transfer after an improved bid was accepted. Dortmund announced the news on Saturday, stating that they finally agreed to let the Armenia international go after intensive discussions with their player. “Manchester United have made us a tremendously valuable offer. Had we rejected it, the player would be able to leave for free in 2017,” Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said in a club statement. The German club added in the…
Author: David Folami
Gary Neville has criticised reports suggesting a breakdown in his relationship with Roy Hodgson led to England’s poor performance at Euro 2016. England were eliminated following a 2-1 defeat against Iceland in the round of 16, having previously drawn 1-1 with Russia and 0-0 with Slovakia. Their only win came in the second game against semifinalists Wales. On Sunday, the Observer reported “a clear divide” between Hodgson and some of his coaching staff, some of whom were said to have questioned his methods openly. However, Neville hit back at the story via Twitter, saying: “This is absolute bulls***! Apology? Removal…
Manchester United have confirmed that club legend Ryan Giggs has ended his 29-year stay at Old Trafford. The former Wales international, the most decorated player in English football history, leaves following the arrival of new boss Jose Mourinho. Giggs says his decision to depart is so that he can pursue a managerial career, although he admits he has “no immediate plans to step into management” yet. “After 29 seasons at Manchester United as a player and assistant manager, I know winning is in the DNA of this club — giving youth a chance, and playing attacking and exciting football,” he…
Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon has apologised after Italy’s Euro 2016 quarterfinal penalty shootout defeat by Germany on Saturday. After a 1-1 draw, Goalkeeper Buffon took centre stage as a number of shots were missed by both sides, only for Jonas Hector to eventually convert the winning penalty to secure a 6-5 victory in Bordeaux. “Everyone has their own reasons to cry,” an emotional Buffon told Rai Sport. “I’m sorry because we deserved it for the group that we are, for what we have made people believe. “It’s rare for a team to miss three penalties and then that’s still not…
Joachim Low said he didn’t have much say in choosing Germany’s penalty-takers for the wild shootout that saw them eliminate Italy in the Euro 2016 quarterfinals. Die Mannschaft had not missed a single penalty in a shootout since 1982, but they were on the edge of elimination after a trio of their squad failed from 12 yards. Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger all missed their penalties, but Low praised his less-experienced squad members who kept their nerve. “I had no real influence on the penalty-takers,” he said. “Every player has to make that decision for himself then. “Our…
Antonio Conte said he had no support in his role as Italy coach, as his two-year reign ended with the defeat to Germany in the Euro 2016 quarterfinals. On television after the game, the coach, who is leaving Italy to take over Chelsea, praised his players for giving their all despite the bitter exit on penalties. He also thanked Italian football association (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio, but his evaluation of the media and Serie A was far less positive in his postgame news conference. “I didn’t see anyone alongside me, the media, or anyone, it was always Conte against everyone,”…
Germany triumphed 6-5 over Italy in a wild, nine-round penalty shootout to advance to the semifinals at Euro 2016 after the game ended 1-1 after extra time. After Leonardo Bonucci’s 78th-minute penalty cancelled out Mesut Ozil’s opener for Germany, the quarterfinal was decided from the spot, where both teams missed three times before Manuel Neuer stopped Matteo Darmian’s effort in the ninth round. Jonas Hector struck the winning effort to get Germany past the Italians for the first time in a major tournament, following four Italy triumphs in knockout stages and four group-stage draws. Both teams started with three at…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday appealed the judgment of Federal High Court , Abuja which removed Okezie Ikpeazu as governor of Abia on account of false tax information. The notice of appeal filed at the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, dated June 28 was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The PDP in the notice of appeal expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of the lower court which declared Mr Uche Ogah as its rightful candidate for the governorship election. The party asked the appellate court to void the consequential order by the lower court…
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus has said that some of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministers are corrupt. Secondus also said, via a statement released on Tuesday, June 28, 2016, that Buhari’s war against corruption is insincere. The statement reads in part: Rather than strive to address the major socio-economic issues weighing down Nigeria due to the confusion and lack of direction of the government in the last one year, the APC is busy creating more battlefronts and compounding the challenges of the county. Today under APC leadership, the country has become a whole theatre…
The Senate has said that the Federal Government is plotting to change its leaders in reaction to allegations of forgery levelled against Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. The upper legislative chamber made the comment via a statement released by spokesman, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi on Wednesday, June 29. It reads: We note the statement issued by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Mr. David Babachir Lawal, that the Senate is not the one on trial in the forgery case instituted by the Attorney General of the Federation against the Senate President and his Deputy. We disagree with…
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said on Thursday, June 30, in Abuja that the death of Chief Ojo Maduekwe, a former National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was a huge loss to the country. A statement signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, the Deputy Director (Press) in the ministry, quoted Ngige as saying that Nigeria had lost “a brilliant technocratic and hardworking politician who was philosophical in thinking and logical in disposition”. “Ojo was sophisticated in knowledge and brutally frank, but devoid of intellectual arrogance. Such a genre is often uncommon among the political class;…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday urged community leaders from the Niger Delta to pacify people in the restive southern region, which has been hit by a series of attacks on oil and gas facilities in the last few months. Nigeria, an OPEC member which was until recently Africa’s biggest oil producer, relies on crude sales for around 70 percent of national income. Most of its oil comes from the impoverished swampland Delta region. Militants, whose attacks pushed oil production to 30-year lows in recent weeks, have called for a greater share of the country’s oil wealth to be passed on…
The Senate has responded to the call by the Secretary-General of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, asking the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu to resign over the alleged forgery of the 2015 Standing Rules case against them. The Senate on Thursday, June 30, said its leaders have no reason to resign as they were not mentioned by the petitioners in the case. Lawal in his statement had cautioned the accused leaders of the Senate to stop portraying their arraignment as if the entire Senate is facing trial. But as contained in a statement signed by the Chairman,…
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged community leaders from the Niger Delta to pacify people in the restive southern region, which has been hit by a series of attacks on oil and gas facilities in the last few months. Nigeria, an OPEC member which was until recently Africa’s biggest oil producer, relies on crude sales for around 70 percent of national income. Most of its oil comes from the impoverished swampland Delta region. Militants, whose attacks pushed oil production to 30-year lows in recent weeks, have called for a greater share of the country’s oil wealth to be passed on to…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday reassured international community of the determination of his administration to completely eliminate the menace of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. The president gave the reassurance at a breaking of Ramadan fast with members of the Diplomatic Corps in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He stated that the nation security agencies had been provided with all necessary equipment to make their job much easier in further decimating the terror group. “I assure you we will remain firm in our determination to completely eliminate the terrorist group and shall continue to count on the support of the international…
A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Ogbee Nwerui, has said that the Independent Electoral Commission’ s response to judgment on Abia governorship seat is too swift Nweru (PDP-Ebonyi), representing Ikwo/Ezza South constituency, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday. He said that INEC ought to have given little time before issuing certificate of return to Dr Uche Ogah, who came second in the primaries. “It is surprising to see INEC respond so swiftly in this matter concerning Abia State judging from the inconclusive manner they have handled elections…
Popular Nigerian singer, Wizkid who is currently riding on international fame has shared some new photos of himself. Undoubtedly Africa’s most recognized and successful artiste of the year, the ‘Ojuelegba’ singer who recently revealed he wants to live a normal life with humility, took to Instagram today, June 30, 2016 sharing some photos for fans. “I’ll be here,” he captioned a shot as he stays back in Lagos while Drake heads to South Africa shooting a video to his hit ‘One Dance’ which featured Wizkid and Kyla. People first got wind of the shoot when the Canadian rapper updated an…
Four months ago, HKN signee, B-Red threatened to beat up rapper, Yung6ix anytime they cross paths. Now, the rapper in an epic comeback revealed on Snapchat yesterday, June 29, 2016 that his pet Parrot is named after B-Red. He shared a short clip on the story sharing site writing, “Our Parrot, his name is B Red, Nigha scared AF. 6ix just came in.” The drama between Yung6ix and B-Red started in February 2016 when the South-South rapper Yung6ix went on a Twitter rant threatening to expose some big names in the music industry for injustice. After making this statement B-Red…
Popular on-air-personality Freeze (Ifedayo Olarinde) has exclusively revealed that he did not insult the woman who blasted him for his opinion about the all black US basketball team. After stating his opinion about the American basketball team that will be participating in the Olympics this year on June 28, 2016 an unidentified lady hit back at Freeze on Instagram saying “What iz ur bizness with US team u Lebanese half cast. Talkative. I can tell u have got a small dick from u look.” The lady went on to share a screenshot of Freeze’s alleged response, “Maybe your mother’s pussy…
Born June 30, 1980, Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau, popularly known by her stage name Kaffy, is a Nigerian dancer, choreographer, dance instructor and fitness coach. She is also the founder and owner of Imagneto Dance Company and is known for breaking the Guinness World Records as the Longest Dance Party at the Nokia Silverbird Danceathon in 2006.